WARNING: HUGE BLOCKS OF TEXT AHEAD. Skip down to my comment for a TL;DR summary of this part. This idea is in a few parts:

HOMECOMING PART I: Social Changes
HOMECOMING PART II: Shuttle
HOMECOMING PART III: Ready Room Renovation
HOMECOMING PART IV: Guild Lab
HOMECOMING PART V: Guild Stash

So, I have a bunch of ideas for Guild Halls lately, and I remember an event a while back that was called the "Homecoming Celebration" and it celebrated the major Guild Hall change. See release notes 2012-11-14 for details. We've not had one of these in a while and I'd like to see it again - and I'd like for it to always be Guild or at least social related, so players can expect playerbase-focused updates around the time of a Homecoming Celebration.

It's sorta close to that time of year, so I feel like posting these now. Ignoring the fact that this sort of thing can take ages to code. Hey, at least I'm posting earlier than the time it used to happen! >,..,> Anyway....

I'll be submitting these ideas in Parts over the next several days/weeks as I have time. Some of them will not be liked, I'm pretty sure. Many of them incorporate suggestions made by others before, some of them many times, with my own twist on the idea(s).

Obviously I don't want ALL of them in one Homecoming event, that would be too overwhelming. Just something, you know?

Focus of this part is on:

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Shuttle

Tired of going down through the arcade to get to those wonderful Radiant depths, wasting time playing something you don't want to play, in order to play what you want to play?
Just want to do a floor or two that looks fun without the hassle of getting there (like shadow lairs)?

Idea time! Shuttles.

Shuttles are made for the clockworks on Cradle.
They utilize various tech from the Skylark as well as our allies and enemies to get around.
The Shuttle can carry a single player directly to a desired floor in the Arcade!
The shuttle runs on energy. It has its own regenerating storage tank using something called mist.
If the tank is empty, you can use your own energy to fuel it if you wish.

A new fun minigame based on shuttles could be available too.

The shuttle can have its performance improved via upgrades. Upgrades increase the star level of the shuttle.

-----Gameplay Mechanics------
The person who took the shuttle will be in the level as if they'd gone down to there from a subtown, able to invite players to them - the others won't spend any energy getting to the person, because that's how the arcade works. You just sorta...poof in and out next to people, doesn't matter how they got there. People can choose to charge for a shuttle-invite if they want. I wouldn't :D (easy to scam? maybe.) Using a shuttle automatically starts a party as private, to avoid random strangers busting up invite plans because you forgot to depub your mission.

Mist is a vapor-like energy form that is drawn out of the very air of Cradle, seeping from the Core's emissions. It's all around us all the time in minute quantities! The shuttle can only take in so much mist energy in so much time - you'll have to use your own Energy if you want to keep using a shuttle with an empty tank. (Explanation for new players who don't remember the "mist days").

Access a shuttle via Shuttle Pad furniture (furniture? what? keep reading) or basic UI hotkeys.

The option to use a shuttle will be "hidden" in the missions ARCADE menu - double click on the icon of the arcade map that is the floor you wish to go to. A menu will pop up saying "Use shuttle?" and it will show what's left in the tank etc.

There are some limits:

You have to have been to the Arcade depth in that gate on your own (or been invited) at least once to use a shuttle to get there.
Just the depth, not any one floor, the depth is all that matters for this. It is presumed that your knight automatically leaves a beacon on each elevator junction (infinite supply, like our ammo) that allows the shuttle to hone in on the area. You don't actually see this happen, it's just game logic explanation. This applies for every gate. So if you do Silver Queen or whatever you can't go to Copper Titan too, you have to explore each one.

-You can go straight to bosses in the arcade, but they'll only give one token if defeated.

--For some reason, this takes twice as much energy that your shuttle normally uses and you must be a Vanguard to do this.

--Forces you to solo since you can't invite in a boss floor.

-You can go to Terminals, but Basil won't sell anything. Shortcut to shadow lairs? sure, but you didn't pick up a vitapod didya?

-Shuttle cannot lock on to any ??? levels.

-Shuttle is only for Arcade (not a big deal). Future idea: perhaps special "Radar" missions, or even shuttle-only missions.

Mental Visual:
The shuttle's autopilot guides the shuttle safetly through the horribly chaotic, shifting machines of the clockworks. Narrowly avoiding grinding gears, the ship speeds through the depths heading for the desired beacon. Once it's in range, the autopilot looks for the chosen docking site in this depth, mimicking the clockwork elevators to sync up with the floor and delivering its passenger to the level in safety. The shuttle then returns to its pad, seemingly confident. In case of horrible accident, the shuttle has a Warp Dust Drive to get back to Haven. There is no chance of a deadly crash.

You know how cutscenes can last a thousand years as a montage? Or a few moments of memory? Pretend the loading screen is a cutscene. The loading screen will show a simple animation of a flying shuttle dodging gears and stuff, along with the % load. This lets your brain accept that the shuttle can dock any time, even though like, it and the elevator can't occupy the entrance to a floor at the same time. Yeah. Cutscene logic! Infinite time or just 10 minutes passes during the loading screen!

------Tokens------
Each shuttle run has a chance to produce 1-5 data logs, with 1 always guarunteed (independent of star level), every time the shuttle is used. The shuttle is always running diagnostics on itself and scanning the environment. Some of these are repeats of data, but some are new! Hence 1-5. Deeper depths have a higher chance of providing info for more data logs. You'll usually get 2 or more in T3.

Data Logs are tokens that can be exchanged for ship components at a new NPC in the Haven Laboratory. He can use these to improve Skylark tech and "provide" you with better shuttle component stuff in return for the data. He'll need some materials to make components for you as well as the logs. These components will change th appearance of your shuttle. Data logs are always useful, so he'll sell other prizes for Data Logs in addition to shuttle components, such as shuttle skins or silver keys (lots and LOTS of logs!)

Components are like Harnesses - they don'y really show up in your arsenal, and are only bought once. A higher level component will replace a lower leveled one. You have to buy the lower leveled one before the next one, again, like a Battle Sprite Harness.

This NPC hangs out by the Skylark's generator. He is an engineer, and one of the best. He may or may not have a crush on Biscotti.
We'll call him...Teslo.

Anyway, as you can see, upgrading your shuttle is almost an entirely private endeavor and will take some time since you need data logs for your shuttle,
and only your shuttle trips give you data logs, and data logs cannot be traded. (Anti-alt abuse strategy).

------Shuttles------
-Tank Capacity - total energy the shuttle can store.

-Energy Use Efficiency: how much energy the shuttle uses per trip.

-Energy Collection Efficiency: how fast the shuttle stores up mist in its tank.

-Toughness - how much of a beating the shuttle can take. Deeper depths are nastier, and lower-star shuttles can't handle them.

--"Tank Capacity" is improved with Cannisters.

--"Energy Use Efficiency" is improved with Alloys.

--"Collection Efficiency" is improved with Coils.

--"Toughness" is improved automatically according to the shuttle's overall star level.

-----------Upgrading Personal Shuttles-----------
A new briefing mission after defeating the snarbolax gives a knight a 0* Shuttle.
Stats:
25 capacity
Uses 25 energy per trip
Recharges 25 energy in 24 hours
Has 0 toughness - after one use, the shuttle breaks and must be repaired by Teslo.

Teslo will only repair a shuttle 5x a day. Hey, he's a busy NPC! Trying to rebuild the Skylark here! This is mostly to prevent energy being used to fly the shuttle right away all the time. A 0* shuttle is entirely locked from T2 and T3, as the harsh environment would destroy the shuttle completely. Even if your knight has been to deep depths, your lower-star shuttle can't.

Yeah, other players have given plenty of data to Teslo, so why can't he just give you upgrades based on their logs?
Because Spiral HQ wants a variety of shuttle variations based on millions of trial runs, each one is slightly different. Maybe we're working on a fleet here D:< Also because shut up, game logic and alt abuse control.

You don't have to install all x*-level upgrades in order together - you can upgrade the channels any way you want. A semi-active knight might wish to invest in 5* tank capacity and nothing more. Bear in mind that the star-level of your shuttle is the average of the star level of its componenets rounded down. To prevent players from locking themselves out of their own shuttles, Teslo won't sell a component that's too high a level to a player until they get their knight through the HoH.

Don't really care about token/material economy for these, just throwing things out there. They'll be what they'll be in the end.

Description of upgrades: again, the loading screen is when all this nonsense shuttle flying happens, just pretend it's going on
- it's just some gamelogic that you don't see.

Tank Capacity Upgrades:
These cannisters store more and more mist in larger and larger crystaline volumes, with less and less leakage.

0*.........25 capacity.........Spiral Cannister.........default.........
Spiral HQ provies all knights' shuttles with this functional cannister.

1*.........+5 capacity.........Brimstone Cannister.........10 data logs + 25 Brimstone.........
the crystaline structure within this cannister has foul origins but okay energy storage abilities.

2*.........+10 capacity.........Driftwood Canister.........20 data logs + 20 driftwood.........
the sturdy inner layer of this container's tendency to drift cancels out the tendency of mist to wander, so they both stay put.

3*.........+15 capacity.........Fine Canister.........30 data logs + 15 fine fabric.........
the fine lattices of the crystals in this large canister are almost like a weave, holding energy for a long time.

4*.........+20 capacity.........Chroma Canister.........40 data logs + 10 chroma tear.........
the crystaline structure of this canister holds the laughter of the coldbloods as well as energy. (monsters? laughter? monsters inc? crocodile tears? yeah!)

5*.........+25 capacity.........Plasma Canister.........50 data logs + 5 Plasma Cell.........
the size of its science is blinding. Well you shouldn't look directly at that much energy anyway.

Energy Use Efficiency Upgrades:
Alloys modify the composition and travel tactics of your shuttle.

0*.........25 energy per trip.........Spiral Alloy.........default.........
Spiral HQ provies all knights' shuttles with this functional heavy-duty alloy. Perhaps too heavy.

1*.........22 energy per trip.........Scrap Alloy.........10 data logs + 25 scrap metal.........
the shuttle seems more at home in the clockworks now, using spare and rather unknown metals found in gremlin junkyards.

2*.........19 energy per trip.........Owlite Alloy.........20 data logs + 20 owlite feather.........
the shuttle is feather-light, and seems to appreciate books somehow.

3*.........16 energy per trip.........Drake Alloy.........30 data logs + 15 drake scale.........
the shuttle now has natural protection against natural hazards and can travel through rougher areas without going around.

4*.........13 energy per trip.........Warped Alloy.........40 data logs + 10 warp dust.........
the shuttle can apply its Warp Dust Drive to its hull, jumping wolver-style past large but thin obstacles instead of going around.

5*.........10 energy per trip.........Shadowsteel Alloy.........50 data logs + 5 shadow steel.........
the shuttle can travel in the shadows, invisible, instead of going the long way around enemy areas.

Energy recharge efficiency upgrades:
Coils gather up mist and concentrate it so that it can be used as fuel more efficiently.

0*.........25 energy per day.........Spiral Coil.........default.........
Spiral HQ provies all knights' shuttles with this functional coil.

1*.........40 energy per day.........Gel Coil.........10 data logs + 25 gel drop.........
gel-coated coils seem to get mist to stick better instead of whispering by.

2*.........55 energy per day.........Static Coil.........20 data logs + 20 static clinger.........
a charged coil that attracts more energy to itself.

3*.........70 energy per day.........Volt Coil.........30 data logs + 15 volt oil.........
this gel is charged! It attracts more energy to the area AND sticks to it too!

4*.........85 energy per day.........Thunder Coil.........40 data logs + 10 thunderball.........
this tiny tempest of power concentrates mist from a large area.

5* .........100 energy per day.........Storm Coil.........50 data logs + 5 storm chaser.........
this coil calls in so much mist that it's like a fog. Was that some lightning!?

Toughness:
Based on star level. Toughness level = star level. Star level of your shuttle is determined by the average of the star levels of installed componenets, rounded down.

0 to 9999999: 0 toughness, 100% chance to break on any trip...... Locked out of T2 and T3.

1 to 1.99999999: 1 toughness. 0% chance to break in Tier 1...... Locked out of T2 and T3.

2 to 2.99999999: 2 toughness. 0% chance to break in Tier 1...... 50% chance to break in T2...... Locked out of T3.

3 to 3.99999999: 3 toughness. 0% chance to break in Tier 1...... 0% chance to break in T2...... Locked out of T3.

4 to 4.99999999: 4 toughness. 0% chance to break in Tier 1...... 0% chance to break in T2...... 50% chance to break in T3.

5: 5 toughness. Shuttle never breaks.

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Yes, the shuttle component descriptions relate to the material descriptions.

All star levels are just called "shuttle," like battle sprites. You only ever get one though ;P

You can rename your shuttle like a battle sprite - a good ship has a good name for all to know her by.

The shuttle shows up in your UI like a battle sprite in its own tab. Other people cannot inspect you and see your shuttle unless you want it to be seen (toggle in social options menus).

-----------Shuttle Appearance-----------
Shuttle appearance only changes with alloy upgrades - the coils and tanks are inside, so yeah.

0* spiral alloy: a cute, small vehicle that is mostly grey with a windshield, streamlined, with various decorations that match the player's personal color. Knight logo on wings and belly.

1* scrap alloy: the shuttle is has more bronze-colored parts instead of grey, with a sheen.

2* Owlite alloy: the shuttle's wings sweep back and look far more aerodynamic.

3* Drake alloy: the shuttle has a slightly scaly, tougher appearance, especially on the windshield. It is a little bigger.

4* warped alloy: the shuttle has a twinkle aura effect coming out of its jets and wingtips.

5* shadowsteel alloy: the shuttle appears to fade away if you hover your mouse over it. the jets have black rings and look a little different, and the wings look a little different.

UI lets you change your shuttle's logo to any icon in the game that represents status, monster type, sk knight groups, or your guild symbol (see other idea for guild symbols).

I will draw this out if people seem interested.

-----------Usable----------
0-5* Mist Cannisters can rarely drop from treasure boxes in gremlin levels in the arcade. Use these to automatically fill up your tank. Very rare! Not tradeable!

0*: 5 mist
1*: 10 mist.
2*: 20 mist.
3*: 30 mist.
4*: 40 mist.
5*: 50 mist.

Such rare. Wow. Wonder what the gremlins are trying to use mist for? Well, whatever, it's mine now. (lore hint hint lore).
These are tradable with various Gremlins in emberlight for relevant (equivalent) Orbs of Alchemy.
- so basically, if a tank drops, and you don't want it, pretend that part of an orb dropped instead.
- you can choose to buy more advanced orbs using several 5* mist cannisters or one elite orb with a lot of cannisters, etc.
So it's pretty cool! A little RNG forgiveness.

Ideal: use these if you come back to the game after a while, and your shuttle is low on mist due to your generous loaning of it to your guild:

-----------Guild-----------
Players can choose to "dock" their Shuttles to a guild hall that has a Shipyard upgrade at the command console. Shipyard upgrade costs monies and requires both 3F wings to be purchased. You can undock your shuttle at any time, except the instant it is being used. Only fully upgraded shuttles can dock to a Guild's shipyard. You can only use shuttles in the shipyard if you've also docked your shuttle. You must be a member of the guild to dock in that guild hall's shipyard. You don't actually see the shipyard, it's presumed to be somewhere under the hall. A 3x3 furniture becomes available. It is a Shuttle Hatch! You can't buy it, it's just suddenly in the treasury when the upgrade is bought. Place it anywhere that's convenient! A panel in front of this shuttle hatch opens the Arcade UI. Remember, double click the icons in the map to use the shuttle. Or do an elevator run like normal :D

If you're in a guild with a shipyard and you use the Arcade Map (from anywhere, not just the shuttle hatch in the hall):
The game automatically uses your shuttle first (docked or not), then randomly chooses (biased to fuller tanks) another docked shuttle to use, if that's an option. If there is no mist in the shipyard shuttles, you have to use energy with your own shuttle. Remember, only fully 5* shuttles can be docked - so lower ranked knights can't use these or dock lower star shuttles. They'll have to take care of their own shuttle first or get invited.

More on the furniture Shuttle Hatch:

It's a water-like forcefield on a raised, round platform. A shuttle rises up through it when someone interacts with the panel in front AND chooses to use a shuttle, and receeds as the person loads into the floor. The user can't see this, but other people can. It also looks sort of like a pool, so that's cool. Or hot tub. That's hot.

---------Minigame----------
Basically a shmup. I'll let your brain visualize this. Pretty simple stuff. Act as the autopilot for some NPC knight trying to get someplace in time for tea.
rewards for winning: random materials based on knight rank.

---------Prestige---------
Spiral HQ needs to know more about Cradle! Give them data logs to recieve some prestige points. I'd love for this to replace, say, arms apropriation.
I've never seen an NPC knight I rescue in the clockworks carrying anything but the calibur line...have you? Who even does arms apropriation!?
I mean I get it, for lore, but no. Just no.

---------Aesthetics-----------

Theme is "exploration," "scanning," "invention/discovery," "junk we find in the clockworks," and of course, Shuttles.

Decoration Kit Prize Box (Exploration)

Furniture:

-3x3 scale model of the Skylark
-Scale Model of the Artifact
-Scale Model of the Skylark's generator
-1x1 Turret
-1x1 Missile Beacon (don't worry, it won't call a bomb storm to your hall!)
-1x1 Radar Blip screen (like a television)
-Teslo's Teslo - you guessed it, a tesla tower! If you walk nearby electricity will zap out at you.
-Small television screen that randomly shows visuals from things in the clockworks, presumably from a scout bot. The Mission Lobby already has these, by the way.
-Pile of television screens. Like at D29. WHY. WHY SO MANY SCREENS!?
-Scale model of each star level of shuttle.
-A new type of bed - basically, a shuttle-shaped bed. So cute!
-Captain's Chair - this chair can swivel if you sit in it and use WSDA or other movement control keys. It has TWO of its own arm rests!
-A large, rotating, tilted, amazing, totally awesome 3x3 scale model globe of Cradle! (UI furniture, opens up the UI menus that pop up when you log into a knight)
-Broken elevator pad.
-Broken/wandering mecha knights. Wandering mecha knight furniture doesn't have to be rare, we pick them up as pickups in the clockworks all the time.
-Piles of gears/bolts etc.
-blast cubes/vortex cubes. blow up harmlessly when interacted with.
-Science container of science (filled with liquid-different color varieties-like you see in HoH next to Zebulon or in C42 etc.)
-Decommissioned Battle Pod - it will wake up if you walk near it, the lights will turn on, but not much else will happen.
-Roar Twin jaw, roar twin snout - greyed out roar twin bits like you see in places in the Munitions Factory.
-Gear Stage (like a rug, slight elevation change, 3x3, golden color like the base of stands).
-Ultra rare: Love Puppy. It watches you as you walk around it and might bark a heart at ya if you interact with it!

Various mineral clusters of different sizes and shapes. These furniture items will be craftable in the guild laboratory with minerals, not in the box.

Explorer Prize Box:

Costume:
-Wanderer Hat (a different yet familiar stranger hat - lots of color variants)
-Caver Helmet (a solid, sturdy helmet for exploration that's a little more detailed and decked out than the Mining Hat).
-Ultra Biotech Suit (a very intricate suit with lots of sensor arrays and a butterfly net at the hip) - a different box could have recolors/variants, like Recon Rangers with Dangerous.
-Ultra Geotech Suit (a very intricate suit with lots of sensor arrays and a ruinous crystal on the back that doesn't spark) - a different box could have recolors/variants, like Recon Rangers with Dangerous.

Accessory:
-Com Array (combines sensor unit, com unit, and helm-mounted display into a single Helmet Back accessory)
-Targeting Array (combines knight vision goggles, helm guards, targeting module, rebreather into a single Helmet Front accessory).
-Scanning Array (combines vented visor, rebreather, mecha wings, and aero fin into a single Helmet Side accessory).
-Explorer Array (combines head lamp, helm guards, goggles, rebreather into a single Helmet Top accessory).

Yes, you can put all of these onto the same at Bechamel. Such clip. Wow. Very bad design. Yet many data. wow.

-Rucksack - a rucksack like agent Korra wears, armor back accessory. Color variants.
-Ultra Rucksack - a rucksack with a lot of knickknacks like a big sensor unit, etc. Armor back accessory.
-Pickaxe - armor front
-Shovel - armor rear

-Belly Screen - a large screen that shows a radar blip. Are you a teletubby now? maybe. Attached via sturdy straps and chains, wobbles a bit when you walk. Prismatic blip. Color variants of screen frame.
-Crest of Mech - a gear on a chain, smaller matching sheen/model to the Gear Halo accessory and color variants.

Aura:
-Data Aura. Like the hacked aura, but not hacked. Lots of 1s and 0s and occasionally other symbols cascade down around your knight, flickering.
-Mech Aura. Rust constantly falls off you. You leave oil/gear bits/bolts behind you as you walk. (more fitting for construct prize box, I think)

Reskins of shuttles (can be popped on/off like a costume for any star level):
-Wooden Sailing Ship
-Tub
-Skylark Corvette
-Crash Pod with working guidance systems
-Magic Carpet
-Hot Air Balloon
-Zeppelin (such punk! Wow! Very steam!)
-Cube (we've already been assimilated)

Your shuttle appearance can be shared in your Ready Room. Remember it's a furniture there - see Ready Room Renovation idea, as well as optionally in inspect UI.

-Furniture variants of these for guild halls, 3x3, are also available in the Decoration box - just statues. Constantly softly hovering over their pads. Hovering...statues. Apocreans do it!

-----------Other Changes---------
More geoknight/biotech lore and NPCs around talking/speculating.

Nonna is always in Emberlight (not as a merchant). She's sitting around with some babies (not all in pouches!) that will follow knights who get close enough. Except the love puppy. It has an "adult" next to it that will bark hearts at you. The baby will watch, turn to you, and bark a tiny half-pip heart at you a few seconds after watching its parent, for as long as your knight is close enough. Nonna's retrode wanders around Emberlight, similar to the Zombie Bellhop in Moorcroft. Talking to Nonna will bring up:

"Cradle is a beautiful but harsh place. Sometimes we find abandoned younglings. Our orphaned critters are doing well. Thanks for your concern! When we have too many, please help us by adopting them, but we're managing for now."

This just adds something for new players who have yet to encounter a Nonna sale, and I think it would add some substance to the game.

Danger Mission lobbies are emphasized by various NPCs to be large "shuttles" comissioned by Desna.

-----------Other Notes-----------
Purpose: helping each other out. You can go on vacation and let people you care about use your fancy ride. They won't crash it or anything ;P A large, established population will likely have plenty of mist to go around, especially during times of inactivity. A good guild will benefit, a bad guild will be torn apart by fighting over the shuttles. Don't dock if you don't want other people using your mist, if you plan on being active. This is a no-brainer.

I think the way this is set up will make Alt abuse pretty difficult:
I figure a token system would prevent a lot of Alternate Account abuse. The various token-only upgrades should prevent full-on spam for a good while at least. Tier locking shuttles helps prevent alt abuse as well. Honestly I think this is the major limiting factor against alt abuse. The "fully upgraded" + you have to dock your shuttle + you use your shuttle's energy first factors also helps with the Alt Issue regarding abuse of guilds.

Getting the perfect shuttle will be a slow process, and some people don't like that, but hey, gotta stretch content right?
Hmm. Don't wanna be totally bored again 5 days later ye?

Ideal: share shuttle invites with each other to get a ridiculous amount of desired playing done (vs. a small amount of undesired playing).

-----------Pros/Cons----------
Cons:
-"OOO will never do this" - yeah probably not.

-Makes the game easier. But hey, new players kind of have it tough with how the leveling system works.

-Potential for alt abuse, but this is always a problem with anything.

-Frustration with slowness of progress due to anti-alt-abuse parameters. In the end, more (evident/apparent) rewarding for more effort?

-Changes on Basil-only recipe economics - they'll probably get more expensive.

Pros:
-A daily thing that you work on, and then when it's completed still has a daily use that the player is aware resets each day, will draw more players back every day. This effect increases when there's arenas in the arcade.

-More players playing is good for business.

-A lot of potential for lore and Spiral HQ progression.

-Content that is lasting.

-Another thing to be proud of, achieve.

In Short:

Bad: easier game. Good: lasting content investment.

------To Readers------

Please avoid saying things like "OOO will never do this" etc. I want user opinions about the game/feedback for this. +/- 1 based on how you think it will be for the players. Please post ideas about cost/time parameters 7and so on!